Robert C. Bassett (March 2, 1911 – May 5, 2000) was an American newspaper publisher,

lawyer A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...

, and political advisor to U.S. Presidents

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...

and Richard Nixon.

Early life and education

Bassett was born on March 2, 1911, to Clark and Lillian Bassett in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he was a member of the Wisconsin Badgers track and field team, graduating in 1932. Bassett later graduated from

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (Harvard Law or HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States. Each class ...

in 1935.

Career

Following graduation he opened a private law practice in

Green Bay, Wisconsin Green Bay is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The county seat of Brown County, it is at the head of Green Bay (known locally as "the bay of Green Bay"), a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It is above sea lev ...

, until he joined the United States Navy after the U.S. entered World War II. He retired from the navy as a lieutenant commander. After the war he became labor counsel for the

Hearst Corporation Hearst Communications, Inc., often referred to simply as Hearst, is an American multinational mass media and business information conglomerate based in Hearst Tower in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Hearst owns newspapers, magazines, televis ...

and later became publisher of the Milwaukee Sentinel and vice president of the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. In 1952 Harry S. Truman appointed Bassett to the

Wage Stabilization Board The Wage Stabilization Board (WSB) was an independent agency of the United States government whose function was to make wage control policy recommendations and to implement such wage controls as were approved."Executive Order 10161, September 9, ...

. He was named to the

University of Wisconsin Board of Regents A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

in 1958. Bassett was director of the United States Chamber of Commerce and was appointed by Richard Nixon to the Pay Board in 1971.

Personal life

Bassett died from

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...

on May 5, 2000, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is interred at Arlington National Cemetery with his wife Sally (1922–1998).Burial Detail: Bassett, Robert C
– ANC Explorer

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bassett, Robert C. People from Green Bay, Wisconsin People from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin American newspaper publishers (people) Wisconsin lawyers United States Navy officers Military personnel from Wisconsin United States Navy personnel of World War II University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni Harvard Law School alumni Burials at Arlington National Cemetery 1911 births 2000 deaths 20th-century American lawyers United States Chamber of Commerce people